eIF2γ gene as a diagnostic target for the identification of fungal and yeast species

Abstract

The current invention relates to a diagnostic kit for a yeast or fungal species comprising at least one oligonucleotide probe capable of binding to at least a portion of the eIF2y gene or its corresponding mRNA.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A diagnostic kit for a yeast or fungal species comprising a first oligonucleotide probe attached to a detectable moiety wherein the first probe is capable of binding to at least a portion of an eIF2 γ gene or its corresponding mRNA; and a second oligonucleotide probe capable of binding to at least a portion of an eIF2 γ gene or its corresponding mRNA, wherein the second probe is capable of binding a portion of the eIF2 γ gene or its corresponding mRNA that is a different yeast or different fungal species than the first probe, and wherein the detectable moiety is not a nucleic acid. 
     
     
       2. A kit as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the eIF2 γ gene is equivalent to a portion of the region of the gene from base pair position 718 to 1040 of  C. albicans  eIF2 γ gene, from base pair position 790 to 934 of  C. albicans  eIF2 γ gene, from base pair position 872 to 972 of  C. glabrata  eIF2 γ gene, from base pair position 151 to 274 of  C. parapsilosis  eIF2 γ gene, from base pair position 140 to 270 of  C. tropicalis  eIF2 γ gene, from base pair position 115 to 224 of  C. krusei  eIF2 γ gene, from base pair position 121 to 374 of  A. fumigatus  eIF2 γ gene, from base pair position 164 to 261 of  A. fumigatus  eIF2 γ gene, from base pair position 155 to 252 of  A. flavus  eIF2 γ gene, from base pair position 92 to 189 of  A. niger  eIF2 γ gene, or from base pair position 149 to 246 of  A. terreus  eIF2 γ gene. 
     
     
       3. A kit as claimed in  claim 1  or  2  wherein the first probe is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 108, 109, 110, or 111 or sequences at least 90% similar or complementary thereto, and further comprising a forward primer selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3, 5, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 104, 105, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 135 or 136, or sequences at least 90% similar or complementary thereto which can also act as a forward amplification primer and a reverse primer selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO 4, 6, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 106, 107, 121, 122, 123, 124, 137, and sequences at least 90% similar or complementary thereto which can also act as a reverse amplification primer. 
     
     
       4. The kit of  claim 3 , wherein the primer is detectably labeled with a detectable moiety selected from the group of a radioisotope, a fluorescent moiety, a chemiluminescent, a nanoparticle moiety, an enzyme or a ligand. 
     
     
       5. The kit of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the detectable moiety is selected from the group of a radioisotope, a fluorescent moiety, a chemiluminescent, a nanoparticle moiety, an enzyme or a ligand. 
     
     
       6. The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the kit is an in vitro amplification technology kit and further comprises at least one additional reagent for use in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Ligase Chain Reaction (LCR), Nucleic Acids Sequence Based Amplification (NASBA), Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA), Transcription Mediated Amplification (TMA), Branched DNA technology (bDNA), Rolling Circle Amplification Technology (RCAT), or an in vitro enzymatic amplification technology. 
     
     
       7. The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the first probe comprises a nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 1-6, 84-98, 104-114, 121, 122, 136, and 138 and sequences at least 90% similar or complementary thereto and having a function in diagnostics based on the eIF2 γ gene wherein the nucleic acid is attached to a detectable moiety, and wherein the detectable moiety is not a nucleic acid. 
     
     
       8. An oligonucleotide probe or a set of oligonucleotide probes, comprising
 a first nucleic acid molecule, selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID Nos 85-88, 92, 94-96, 98, 105, 108, or 109 and sequences at least 95% similar or complementary thereto, wherein the oligonucleotide probe has a function in diagnostics based on the eIF2 γ gene wherein the first nucleic acid molecule is attached to a detectable moiety, and wherein the detectable moiety is not a nucleic acid; and 
 optionally a second nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID Nos 1, 2, 3-5, 6, 84, 89-91, 93, 97, 104, 106, 107, 110-113, 114, 121, 122, 136, 138, or combination thereof, and wherein the second nucleic acid molecule is attached to a detectable moiety, and wherein the detectable moiety is not a nucleic acid. 
 
     
     
       9. The oligonucleotide probe or the set of oligonucleotide probes of  claim 8 , wherein the detectable moiety is selected from the group consisting of a radioisotope, a fluorescent moiety, a chemiluminescent, a nanoparticle moiety, an enzyme or a ligand.